1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to check of an apparatus, and more particularly to a method of checking a computer control type apparatus based on self-check programs and the apparatus to which the method is applied.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional method of checking a computer control type apparatus such as a manufacturing apparatus and a test apparatus based on check programs, many check items of sections of the apparatus are checked in a collective manner in a predetermined frequency, e.g., twice a day. The check generally requires a long time so that the operation time of the apparatus is decreased. Thus, a check method of a shorter check time is desired.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, various methods of checking an apparatus have been proposed heretofore. One check method is described in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Showa 63-204438). In the conventional method, as shown in FIG. 1B, an check procedure for checking an manufacturing or testing apparatus of a computer control type is composed of a set 60 of operation checks such as check 1 to check n. FIG. 1A is a flow chart illustrating the check procedure for each operation check in the conventional method of testing the apparatus. When each operation check is performed in accordance with the check procedure shown in the flow chart of FIG. 1A, the apparatus check can be performed in a short time.
That is, as shown in FIG. 1A, a simple check is executed (Step 50). The check procedure of the simple check is determined in such a manner that the most typical check for check items is performed or a check using the most typical data is performed. In the simple check, even if a failure point cannot be specified, it is possible to detect the existence or nonexistence of the failure point in a short time.
Subsequent to the simple check, it is determined whether or not a detail check mode is set (Step 51). The detail check is performed only when the detail check mode is set (Step 52). The detail check is different from the simple check in that the detail check is performed using various data for each of various operations. Although a long check time is necessary, the results of the detailed check can be obtained. Thus, the detail check is superior in pointing out a failure point.
According to the above conventional method, only the simple check is performed in a usual apparatus periodic maintenance work and in the confirmation of the operation of the apparatus after repairing, so that the check time can be shortened. When a long time may be taken for search of any failure point or the confirmation of the operation of the apparatus after modification of the apparatus, the detail check can be performed to complement the simple check.
In this way, in the conventional method, since the most typical check is performed or a check using the most typical data is performed, the simple check can be performed in a short time. In the simple check, however, there is a case where the simple check lacks in guarantee of functions and performance of the apparatus.
Also, in the conventional method, there is a problem in that the operation time of the apparatus is decreased since a long time is required for a detail check for complete guarantee of functions and performance of the apparatus. This is because the complete guarantee can be accomplished by both of the simple check and the detail check. Therefore, it is not basically possible to omit the detail check.
Moreover, there is a case where the conventional method lacks in the guarantee of quality of products manufactured or tested by the apparatus in which any failure is detected. This is because it is difficult to correct the products when the failure is detected, since the check time interval is not considered. Therefore, there is a possibility that the products having any failure are provided into a market.